Instead of knocking the burglars outside his house with a shovel like Macaulay Culkin in "Home Alone," this 12-year-old did the safe and mature thing when strangers knocked on his front door Tuesday in La Mirada. He called the police.
As the Orange County Register reports, three burglars knocked on the front door and, apparently believing no one was home, walked around to the back yard. Meanwhile, at about 12:30pm, the boy called 911 and, according to Fullerton police Sgt. Andrew Goodrich, "was kind of watching from whatever vantage point he had in the house. He saw them coming in and kept the dispatchers informed of what was going on."
Police rushed to the scene with lights and sirens, and the suspects fled in a pickup upon the officers' arrival. A car chase ensued, ending with the suspects crashing into another vehicle and then fleeing from their car.
As the Los Angeles Times reports, the police arrested Deon William Oden, 23 of Los Angeles on suspicion of burglary, felony evading and felony hit and run. The Fullerton Police asks that anyone with any information on the other two suspects, a man and a woman in her 30s, to call Det. Michael Hines at (714) 773-5765 or the department at (714) 738-6716.
Fullerton police Capt. Dan Hughes told CBS that "this method of residential burglary, sometimes referred to as 'knock-knock bandits,' is becoming more common."
He continued, "We want to remind residents that, depending upon the situation, advising someone who is at your door that you are home without opening the door is something people should consider."